July 11, 2007
The South Carolina Lettermen’s Association announced that five former Gamecock All-Americans have been elected in the 2007 USC Athletic Hall of Fame class.
The class includes: Kip Bouknight (baseball), Lisa Misipeka (track and field), Wade King (swimming), Charlotte Hamilton Giese (swimming) and Clint Mathis (soccer). The five former Gamecocks combined for 42 All-American honors in their time at Carolina.
This year’s inductees will be honored at a dinner on Sept. 13.
Kip Bouknight (2007)
BASEBALL 1998-2001
Winngest pitcher in South Carolina history … Compiled a career record of 45-12 in a four-year span pitching a school record 482 innings and starting a school record 66 games … Also holds school records for strikeouts (457) and decisions (57) … Put together one of the greatest
single-season years in college history in 2000 posting a 17-1 record to help lead the Gamecocks to a 56-10 record and a SEC Championship … His 17 single-season wins is a school record and is tied for the most wins in a season by an SEC pitcher … Won the 2000 Golden Spikes Award presented by USA Baseball as the top amateur baseball player in the USA as well as being named a consensus All-America selection by the ABCA, Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball … Helped lead South Carolina to two straight NCAA Super Regional appearances in 2000 and 2001 … Currently in professional baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization with the triple-A club in Indianapolis.
Charlotte Hamilton (Giese)
SWIMMING 1977-80
Charlotte is South Carolina’s first women’s swimming and diving All-American, earning honors in the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle in 1977 … Over a span of four years, she earned 16 All-American awards in the freestyle, freestyle relay and medley relay … One of the first female athletic scholarship recipients at USC … Was the senior captain for the 1980 team that went 8-0 to become the first undefeated swimming team in school history.
Wade King
SWIMMING 1986-89
A 12-time All-American while at South Carolina, Wade earned All-American honors all four years he competed for the Gamecocks (1986-89) … His honors include: 100 butterfly (4x), 200 medley relay (1x), 400 medley relay (3x), 200 freestyle relay (1x), 400 freestyle relay (1x) and the 800 freestyle relay (2x) … Out of the 19 swimming events available, Wade graduated with school records in seven of them … Still holds the record for the 400 freestyle relay (2:57.39) … Currently holds two American records for the 35-39 age group in the 50 butterfly-short course (22.30) and the 50 butterfly-long course (25.00).
Clint Mathis
SOCCER 1994-97
Carolina’s first two-time soccer All-American (’95 and ’97) … Holds the school records for single-season points (53) and goals (25), which tied for the national lead in 1995 … A three-time finalist for National Player of the Year … Ranks third all-time in scoring with 121 points (55 goals, 15 assists) … Has 46 career appearances and 12 goals for the United States National Team, including a stint on the 2002 World Cup team … Finished as leading scorer for USA in 2002 after recording seven goals and two assists for 16 points … Became the second U.S. Men’s National Team Player in history to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated on May 27, 2002 … Drafted No. 6 overall by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 1998 MLS draft, Clint has played for five teams (Los Angeles Galaxy, NY/NJ MetroStars, Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids, NY Red Bull) … In three-plus seasons with the MetroStars, scored 87 points (33 goals, 21 assists) which ranks second in team history … Holds the MLS records for most goals (five) and points (10) in a game, set in a 6-4 MetroStars win over Dallas in 2000.
Lisa Misipeka
TRACK AND FIELD 1994-98
A three-time Olympian for American Somoa, Lisa carried the flag for her country in the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Athens Olympics … Won a bronze medal at the 1999 World Championships – the first-ever medal won by a Gamecock at the World Championships … While at South Carolina she was a two-time NCAA champion and won three SEC titles … Collected 11 All-American honors in the throwing events and still holds the hammer school record which she set in 1998 (213′ 3).